Top 10 Exercises From The XBX Plan

The XBX plan (Ten Basic Exercises) for women was developed by the Royal Canadian Air Force. According to them by performing these exercises for only 12 minutes a day you can achieve a reasonably high level of fitness.

It is to be noted that your appearance is controlled by the bony frame of your body, and by the proportions of fat and muscle which you have added to it. You cannot do anything about your skeleton, but you can, and should do something about the fat and muscle. Fat softens the bony contours of the body; it helps to keep the body temperature constant; and it acts as an energy storage vault. Fat appears in layers on the outside of the body, covers and lines the internal organs – the heart and blood vessels, for example – and it also makes up a part of muscle. Muscle is the other controllable factor in the appearance. When we are young we are fairly active; the muscles of our bodies are used and they retain that pleasing firmness – muscle tone. The less we exercise muscles the softer and more flabby they become. They become small with disuse, less elastic, and much weaker.

A slight change in diet (along with XBX) can take off, and keep off, several pounds of excess fat over a period of time. The best method is a combination of diet and exercise. A thigh that is made up of little muscle and a lot of fat may have the same measurement as one that has firm muscle and a light fat layer, but – let’s face it – it is just not the same thing.

The XBX (Ten basic exercises) are designed to firm your muscles – not to convert you into a muscled woman. Check out the exercises indicated below:

1. Toe touching

Stand erect, feet about 16 inches apart, arms over head.

Bend down to touch floor outside left foot. Bend up and down to touch floor between feet.

Bend again touching floor between feet once more. Rise and bend to touch floor outside right foot.

Each return to starting position counts one.

2. Knee raising

Stand erect, feet together, arms at side.

Raise left knee as high as possible, grasping knee and shin with hands.

9. Leg-overs – Straight

Raise both legs until they are perpendicular to floor, keeping them straight and together.

Lower legs to left, trying to touch left hand with toes.
Raise to perpendicular and lower to right side.

Raise again to perpendicular and return to starting position.

Each return to starting position counts one.

10. Run and semi-squat jumps

Stand erect, feet together, arms at sides.

Starting with left leg, run in place raising feet at least six inches from floor.

Each time left foot touches floor counts one.

After each fifty counts do ten semi-squat jumps.

Semi squat jumps Drop to a half crouch position with hands on knees and arms straight. Keep back as straight as possible, one foot slightly ahead of the other. Jump to upright position with body straight and feet leaving floor. Reverse position of feet before landing, return to half crouch, and repeat.

If you feel stiff or sore, or if you are unduly breathless at any time, ease up and slow down your rate or progression. This is particularly applicable to the older age groups.